“……Did your brother tell you to say that?”

“……My brother?”

“Yes.”

Why suddenly bring up Sylvian? Though puzzled, Lysith answered properly.

“No. I’m not that close with my brother.”

“……”

Though she answered his question, he remained silent. Verheigen’s lips quivered several times as if he would speak, but in the end he said nothing.

I was really curious about that though. Lysith slightly pouted her lips and went back to shoveling pudding into her mouth.

Verheigen, who had been alternately looking at the dessert in front of him and Lysith eating pudding, leaned back against the chair and closed his eyes.

Actually, what he had intended to tell her earlier was that she would soon be able to leave the imperial palace.

But…….

Does it really have to be now?

Wouldn’t it be fine to keep her by his side a little longer?

Her question just now was like that too. Really, it caused such huge waves in his heart that it was irritating, and he wanted to keep this woman by his side. He wanted to make her keep saying things like that.

Had anyone in the world ever said such things to him? Even the previous Emperor and Empress, who were about the only ones who might have said such things, showed not a speck of interest in their son.

Recalling them from his childhood, which are now almost faint memories, Verheigen spoke to Lysith. His voice was low and submerged like an underwater cave.

“……You.”

“Yes?”

“Know that you won’t be able to leave the imperial palace for a while.”

“……Pardon?”

If he wants to keep her by his side, he can just do so. What reason could there be not to? He is the Emperor, in the highest position.

Meanwhile, Lysith’s mouth fell open at the suddenly extended stay period.

For a while, but until when……?

Honestly, though the pretext was an investigation, she hadn’t been investigated at all. If anything, the only questioning she faced was the Emperor’s pressure-filled inquiries when she first woke up. Beyond that, she had focused solely on her treatment.

Even though she had received treatment from the palace doctor and her body had completely recovered, she still couldn’t leave the imperial palace.

‘Why on earth……’

Was this some kind of imprisonment route for saving the Emperor? Then again, she couldn’t even imagine what might have happened by now if she hadn’t done it.

While Lysith was groaning and worrying, Verheigen left the hall first.

Left alone, Lysith sighed as if the ground would cave in. She wasn’t even sure if this was positive.

Is this really conquerable?

* * *

It was a different day, a different room, but two people found themselves in the same situation again. If there was one more difference, perhaps it was that both were less flustered than last time.

Lysith heaved a deep sigh. She had been completely fooled again.

“I thought it was real this time……”

“I should just fire that crazy bastard.”

Verheigen swept up his bangs with obvious irritation.

The pattern was the same as last time. However, this time Lysith had been suspicious and actually went to see that something had happened to her room, yet she was still fooled.

Still, having experienced it once before, both adapted quickly. Last time, they hadn’t thought of immediately leaving the bedroom, so when faced with the same situation, Lysith tried to open the door but…….

“Locked?!”

It wouldn’t open.

Locked from the outside, Lysith shouted. She whirled her head toward Verheigen, but he was calmly taking out alcohol.

Puzzled by his attitude, Lysith finally asked first.

“……How dare they lock up your Emperor! Shouldn’t you be saying something like that?”

“You think that bastard didn’t expect that too? He knew it wouldn’t open.”

It was an unexpected response. Come to think of it, Verheigen was somewhat lenient with Serul. A normal person would have gotten angry at their aide. While Lysith’s guard against him had gradually lowered, and since this situation could be advantageous for conquering him, she didn’t get angry, but…

Still, as Lady Gronevelt, she wondered if she should be angry.

“Why aren’t you angry?”

“Serul and I have been close friends since childhood. I know his personality, so there’s no reason to be angry. I know why he’s doing this.”

“Then why is he doing this?”

“……”

Though he had been answering properly if not kindly, he suddenly clamped his mouth shut like a clam.

Lysith wasn’t stupid, so she had a rough idea why this was happening. Still, she wondered if there might be some other purpose, but it didn’t seem like it.

‘But why is he just sitting there? If you’re locked in a room with someone you don’t want, you should get angry. Maybe I’m not an unwanted person.’

Am I not? Maybe I’m being too optimistic…… Finally giving up on escape and trudging back to sit quietly on the opposite sofa, Lysith looked at the empty space in front of her and questioned.

“Where’s my glass?”

“I don’t want to deal with a drunk.”

Come to think of it, that was true. Last time she drank, she got so drunk she lost consciousness. ……She couldn’t even imagine what she might have done since she had no memory of it.

At Verheigen’s absolutely firm answer, Lysith scratched her cheek awkwardly. She really should never drink alcohol again.

This time what Verheigen had brought out wasn’t wine but whiskey. The moment she saw the bottle, she instinctively knew what state she’d end up in if she drank even a little, so she headed to the bookshelf with visible distaste.

“May I read a book?”

“It would be boring for you.”

As he said, at a glance there didn’t seem to be any of the novels she enjoyed reading. But she didn’t feel sleepy enough to just lie down, and above all, there was no way she could sleep comfortably in this atmosphere.

Moreover, while last time they had shared a bed because she was drunk, this time it would be proper of her as a subject to sleep on the sofa.

While contemplating which book to read, Lysith settled  with the goal of falling asleep while reading. When she headed back to the sofa with the book, Verheigen gave her a surprised look while drinking his whiskey, but she ignored it with a brazen face.

Skimming the table of contents, she liked how it didn’t provoke any particular thoughts.

She turned to the next page and began reading the chapter about ‘What is Politics’.

How much time had passed as she read with someone drinking alone in front of her? After finishing Chapter 1, Lysith muttered that she should read a different book and moved back toward the bookshelf.

Just as she was about to pull out a book about gods that she had noticed earlier, after putting away the previous book that must have been at least 800 pages, something wrapped around her waist and suddenly pulled her back.

The one who embraced her was, naturally and obviously, Verheigen. She was completely enveloped in the man’s arms, such that if anyone were behind them, they wouldn’t be able to see Lysith at all.

“Haah……”

“……?”

What is this situation?

Lysith blinked, frozen in the position of trying to pull out a book. Is this really His Majesty the Emperor? Just as she was rolling her eyes thinking that, he buried his face in her nape.

His hot breath scattered across her ear and nape. When she shivered at the sensation, the hands wrapped around her slim waist tightened their grip.

‘No, what kind of situation is this!’

The reason Lysith hadn’t actively tried to conquer the Emperor even though she was locked in a room with him was because she instinctively felt that this man wouldn’t respond to that kind of approach and seduction.

Since he had initially suggested lunch, she believed that gradually building a personal connection over shared meals during her stay at the imperial palace would be a more certain, albeit slower, approach.

In other words, she had been thinking of it as a long-term strategy.

But this is unexpected… what’s with this pumpkin vine?

When she turned her head to stare at his barely visible profile, his ears were completely red. ……Ah, he’s drunk.

“Um, Your Majesty.”

“……”

“Your Majesty……?”

“……Be quiet……”

What conquest or whatever with a drunk person. And above all, dealing with drunk people was quite an exhausting task. Nothing was more draining and tiring than that.

Still, the fortunate thing was that he didn’t seem to be the type to make a scene or cause trouble while drunk. Hmm, will he not remember this tomorrow morning like me? Thinking that, Lysith slightly pulled at his hands gripping her waist to shake them off, but the Emperor wouldn’t let go easily.

When she pulled again with more force, his hands finally came loose. She turned around thinking she should tell him to go to bed and get some proper sleep. However, before she could speak, Verheigen grabbed her waist again and lifted her up.

“Eek!”

When Lysith wrapped her arms around Verheigen’s neck in surprise, she heard a satisfied laugh from the man.

‘What, don’t tell me he’s not actually drunk?’

Just as she was about to protest to him as he quickly walked, both of them ended up jumping onto the bed due to Verheigen’s arbitrary actions.

“Your Maj… kyaah!”

“Just… stay like this.”